Rosanna Bowles Tableware Designer Interview

In Her Shoes: Rosanna Bowles, Entertaining Expert and Tableware Designer

Who knew that entertaining and making guests feel welcome could become a job? That's exactly what Rosanna Bowles, a hostess extraordinaire, does for a living. To top it all off, she's also an author and has written a book called Coming Home. What makes her unique is that she weaves her international experience into her tableware designs, and at the same time, her pieces still manage to make one feel at home. From cutesy cupcake plate designs to British royalty-inspired mugs, there's no end to her creativity!

SavvySugar: How did you get into this?

Rosanna Bowles: I got into this profession initially because of my education. My bachelor's is in liberal arts and master's is in Italian. I wanted to be able to use my education and my love of the arts and foreign language. I studied in Italy my junior year near a town that produces beautiful handmade ceramics. I wanted to use my education and be able to incorporate everything that I am passionate about into a company. That is how Rosanna Inc. got started.

SS: What other dream jobs did you have?

RB: If I wasn't doing what I am doing, I would want to be a professor of a foreign language. I have taught Italian at University of Oregon (go Ducks!) and would love to do it again someday.

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To find out more about Rosanna's life, read on.

SS: What's a typical day like?

RB: A day in the life of Rosanna starts by waking up and caring for my daughter. She is 13 so I still make her lunch, which I love. I spend some quality family time with her before sending her to school. After she goes to school, I sign in to my email and communicate with people all over the world regarding products and ideas. I head into the office around noon and stay there until closing at 5 p.m. At the office, I check in with each department. I love spending time with each department and making sure that things are running smoothly. I am thankful for a great team and how smoothly things run at Rosanna Inc.

SS: What's your tip for managing stress?

RB: I had to laugh at the tips for managing stress but to be honest, it always helps when I spend time with my family. They are my support. I also take time for myself and either exercise or read. Spending some alone time is important to regroup my thoughts and relax. During this time, I unplug from technology. Our lives are spent on the computers so to de-stress I make sure to turn it off and chill out.

SS: What's the most challenging part of your job? And what is the most rewarding?

RB: The most challenging and rewarding part of my job is creating new products each season. That alone has its own challenges, but it is so rewarding at the same time. A challenge we have faced in the past few years is the navigating up and down of the economy but we are thankful for the support of the buyers to keep us alive.

SS: Any savvy tips for entertaining for the holidays?

RB: A key savvy tip for entertaining for the holidays is to keep things simple. Do what you do best and don't do things outside of your comfort zone. Some other tips are to go to a group of recipes that are your go-to recipes. Decorate the home simply; candles are fabulous. Greenery is great. Basic dishes with decorated salad plates to change it up. Shop your parents' cupboards if you are on a budget. Express who you are in the way you decorate and entertain.

Want to join in the dream-job fun? Read more from my In Her Shoes series and submit the types of careers you want featured in the comments below.